Isak's St. James' Park return highlights Liverpool's attack problem
Returning to St. James' Park was always going to test Alexander Isak, but Sunday's performance proved how far the Swedish striker remains from his sharpest form. Booed throughout by 52,000 Newcastle supporters, Isak struggled to influence matches in the final third during a frantic 2-2 draw. His worst moment arrived in the second half when he blazed a clean opportunity high over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty box.
The drop in sharpness was obvious to anyone watching Liverpool's new-look frontline. With Mohamed Salah having left the club and Hugo Ekitike sidelined by injury, manager Andoni Iraola handed Isak the central starting role. Instead of providing a focal point, Isak looked off the pace and failed to create separation against Newcastle's backline.
Former Liverpool forward Michael Owen offered a scathing assessment on talkSPORT after the match, insisting the time for leniency has passed. Owen noted that while injuries disrupted Isak's debut year on Merseyside, the forward can no longer hide behind fitness excuses.
"I had plenty of injuries in my career so I know how hard it is to get back and you do need a bit of time. We’ve given him time, everyone has given him time and understood that. But he’s finished the season, then he’s gone to the World Cup and now he’s had a pre-season and you just think OK, now we’re starting to run out of excuses."
Owen stressed that Liverpool cannot afford to wait around while their record signing searches for rhythm. As Mirror Football reported, Owen made it clear that Isak's lack of output is becoming a direct tactical liability.
"Liverpool absolutely need him, they’ve lost Salah, Ekitike is out, there’s not that many options in attacking areas. They absolutely need him in top form and yesterday he was far from it, I thought he was a yard off and that’s worrying."
Goals from Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai salvaged a point for Liverpool on the opening weekend, but the result masked deeper tactical issues. Without a reliable central threat, Iraola's high-pressing system relies heavily on midfield bursts rather than structured central play.
The £125m conundrum: Pre-season answers haven't solved Isak's form
Liverpool broke their transfer record to sign Isak for £125million after he netted 62 goals in three seasons for Newcastle. That massive investment was meant to secure Anfield's long-term leader in attack for the post-Salah era. Instead, Isak's debut campaign produced just four goals across an injury-plagued year.
That tally looks even more disappointing when contrasted with Hugo Ekitike's instant impact. Ekitike arrived for roughly half of Isak's fee and delivered 17 goals in his debut season, quickly becoming Liverpool's most effective front man. Now that Ekitike is out injured, the burden falls entirely back on Isak.
Last winter, observers willingly attributed Isak's laboring runs to recurring muscle problems and disrupted match fitness. That rationale no longer holds weight after a full summer schedule. Isak represented Sweden at the World Cup and subsequently completed Iraola's rigorous pre-season program without medical interruptions.
The tactical friction is obvious when evaluating Isak's movement in transition. Under Arne Slot's title-winning 2024-25 campaign, Liverpool relied on rapid wing movement to open central lanes for incoming runners. Iraola demands aggressive pressing triggers, yet Isak currently lacks the explosive initial burst needed to trap opposition center-backs.
If Isak cannot rediscover the lateral sharpness that made him lethal on Tyneside, Liverpool risk wasting their primary offensive weapon. With one week left in the transfer window, Iraola cannot easily go out and buy another elite centre-forward. The solution has to come from Isak himself, and it has to come quickly.
Jacquet survives Tyneside baptism while Willock shows signs of life
While Isak struggled upfront, Liverpool's defensive unit faced a trial by fire of its own at St. James' Park. 21-year-old French defender Jeremy Jacquet was thrown directly into the starting lineup for his Premier League debut following his arrival from Ligue 1. Facing 52,000 roaring Newcastle fans, the young centre-back experienced the full intensity of English football.
Speaking after the match to Canal Plus, Jacquet embraced the hostile atmosphere rather than shying away from it. As reported by FourFourTwo, the defender compared Newcastle's home crowd to one of Europe's most famous cauldrons.
"The atmosphere? It wasn't bad. It reminded me a bit of the Velodrome. It's an iconic stadium, fans shouting everywhere. That's why I'm here. I like that."
Jacquet showed composure on the ball early on, but Newcastle's relentless physical pressure eventually took a toll on the youngster. Iraola eventually withdrew Jacquet in the second half, bringing on Barcelona loan defender Ronald Araujo to steady the back line. It was a pragmatic move that highlighted both Jacquet's raw promise and his current physical limits at this level.
Newcastle presented their own tactical surprises despite missing key defender Dan Burn. As noted by Sky Sports, Burn is set to remain out until after the international break with an injury. Eddie Howe was forced to adjust his defensive setup accordingly.
Newcastle found an unexpected engine in midfield through Joe Willock. Willock delivered a dynamic box-to-box display, repeatedly driving past Liverpool's midfield pivot and disrupting Iraola's build-up patterns. His performance suggested he could play a key role for Newcastle after enduring his own injury-plagued periods.
The Harvey Elliott dilemma: Why a 100% fit star was left in the stands
While Isak searches for fitness on the pitch and Ekitike recovers in the treatment room, Harvey Elliott represents a completely different management puzzle. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder was left out of Liverpool's matchday squad entirely for Sunday's draw at Newcastle. His omission was not caused by an injury, nor was it tied to an active transfer deal.
The decision was a cold tactical choice by Iraola, signaling exactly where Elliott currently sits in the squad hierarchy. It marks a frustrating continuation of momentum loss for a player who supported Liverpool as a boy after joining from Fulham back in 2019. Across 149 appearances for Liverpool, Elliott has delivered 15 goals and 21 assists, including a memorable winner against Paris Saint-Germain.
However, Elliott managed only one Premier League start during Slot's title-winning 2024-25 season, leading to last year's fateful loan move to Aston Villa. That move turned into a disaster when Villa realized a 10th appearance would trigger a mandatory £35m buy clause. Villa halted his minutes at nine games and 277 total minutes, prompting Villa manager Unai Emery to admit the situation was embarrassing for all parties.
Despite that setback, Elliott demonstrated exemplary professionalism by returning to Liverpool a week early for pre-season training. Iraola publicly praised his attitude during his introductory press conference, noting Elliott's eagerness to stake a claim. Elliott went on to feature in pre-season friendlies against Nashville and against Wrexham at Yankee Stadium in New York.
When Elliott came off the bench against Monaco at Anfield earlier this month, all four stands rose to applaud him. Yet once Liverpool's World Cup stars returned to full training, Elliott was promptly pushed back to the bench and ultimately excluded from the matchday squad. With his contract expiring next summer, another year in cold storage is simply not an option for the player who won Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Under-21 European Championship.
Speaking in New York during the pre-season tour, Elliott addressed his future with refreshing honesty. As BBC Sport reported, the midfielder admitted he must prioritize his own career progression when deciding his next step.
"Ultimately, I'm still wanting to be selfish, doing what's right for me. Whether that's staying here and fighting for my place or potentially going elsewhere, I'm still unsure at the moment until I get some more intel."
Deadline week forces Iraola to make critical squad choices
With the transfer window closing in one week, Iraola faces immediate decisions regarding squad structure and player futures. Keeping Elliott on the bench while paying his wages through the final year of his contract satisfies nobody. A permanent move to a lower Premier League club or a European side would provide Elliott with regular minutes while raising funds for Liverpool.
On the pitch, Liverpool's opening weekend performance showed both resilience and clear structural flaws. Rescuing a point at St. James' Park through goals from Gakpo and Szoboszlai required character under intense pressure. However, reliance on individual moments will not sustain a title challenge over a 38-game season.
Everything hinges on whether Isak can reclaim the explosive movement that defined his finest games in a Newcastle shirt. If the Swedish striker continues to labor, Iraola will be forced to alter his high-pressing system or scramble for late recruitment solutions. Time is running short, and Liverpool can ill afford another sluggish performance when the Premier League action resumes.
